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Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Twelve Days of Giving: More for Twilighters

Welcome to Twelve Days of Giving, where I post for twelve days and recommend books for your holiday giving!

Last year's sixth day of giving featured books for the Twilighters in your life. As the numbers of Twilighters grow and grow, I have a couple additions to that list (for YAs and adults, say grades 9+).

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Ever since she was attacked by wolves as a child, Grace has felt a special bond with a particular wolf that appears in the woods outside her house every winter. After wolves attack one of her classmates, Grace's wolf appears to her one night... as a human. Sam. And Grace knows that she loves him. But she also knows that she's going to lose him. For as the temperature drops, Sam's days as a human are drawing to a close. And to be together, Grace and Sam have to be willing to risk everything.

Girls on Team Jacob will eat this one up (and maybe some on Team Edward, too.)As You Wish by Jackson Pearce. Viola was so in love with her boyfriend Lawrence that when he announced that he was gay, it broke Viola's world. She doesn't know who she is anymore. And when a jinn shows up to offer her three wishes, she wants to take her time deciding, even though Jinn is impatient to get back to his home world. But the longer Jinn stays, the more Viola realizes that there's something special about him. And if she makes all three wishes, Jinn will go back to his world. A bird and a fish might fall in love, but where would they live?As You Wish is very different in tone from the Twilight books, but the wonderful romance will satisfy Twilight fans.

These next two are not books that I've read myself, but from what I hear they may be perfectly suited to the Twilighter on your gift-giving list.

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch came along.

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price's attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He's the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.

Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce--and goes out of his way to make that very clear--she can't let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.

Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

Consider one of these titles (or one of these titles) for the Twilight fan on your list!

What I've Been Reading

Our leadership team at the library is reading this book for a team book discussion early in the new year. Cy Wakeman has a lot of insightful and relevant things to say about leaders helping their employees deal with realities (instead of...

The other day I was browsing Netflix, wondering what to watch and thought I just might watch Cosmos over again. Listening to this audiobook was a good substitute. Tyson does what he sets out to do here: boils down his massive, technical ...

This thriller set in Southern Indiana and written by actress Krysten Ritter definitely kept me at the edge of my seat. Something's wrong in Abby Williams's hometown of Barrens, Indiana. Her ecological legal team has been brought in to in...

Grace Hopper made amazing contributions to the field of computer science that helped develop computers as we use them today. This would make a super family read, making the subject accessible to young children, if parents are interested ...